Every Touch
by Krystell B.Z
Summary: Inspired by Cascada's Every Time We Touch. "It was a touch, gentle and unintentional. A simple coincidence. But it would send shivers up and down Naruto's spine."


**I'm so sorryyyyyyyyyyyyy! I haven't disappeared, it's just that well... lazyness kinda... well you know. Anyway this was inspired by Every Time We Touch by Cascada. WARNING: Kinda cheesy, OOC-ness, and one or two bad words. Rated T for paranoia. **

* * *

It was a touch, gentle and unintentional.

A simple coincidence. But it would send shivers up and down Naruto's spine. His heart beat would increase. He would start breathing faster, even if it was just slightly.

And it tore his heart in two to see that it only affected him. He would glance at Sasuke, but he was as calm and collected as usual.

A simple brush of Sasuke's breath when he got too close when reaching for something like a mission guide, and Naruto would swear he could feel his blood pump faster through his veins. He would get flustered and bothered and he would get... This feeling... That got destroyed when he slyly looked over to Sasuke to see him unruffled. Not even blushing or apologizing or anything.

Life was cruel.

Even after bringing Sasuke back, those three years trying to bring Sasuke back, and helping the people of the village accept him, Sasuke took no more notice of him than he used. Sure they sparred, but it was getting farther apart and less frequent. Sure they still got missions, but there was no more interaction then needed. And as much as Naruto hated it, he missed being called a "dobe." And he missed calling Sasuke a "teme," but it just hurt too much when he knew that what little affection, even friendship affection, was now - if not completely- gone.

And it hurt so much because he had fallen...Fallen for Sasuke... No, Naruto didn't fall. He'd dived into the feeling. Embraced it, because he needed someone to hold onto and love and never let go and he had chosen the wrong person. And that's why it hurt so much to have unrequited love.

He had to feel sorry for Sakura. What she had for Sasuke must have been real. And to have been swatted away so easily like a mosquito? It stung and burned and felt like you couldn't breathe, like you were being smothered. Naruto knew. A hot and unpleasant sensation in you heart, cutting deep, everytime he ignored you.

But time had healed Sakura's wounds. For Naruto, those two years he had been training were about Sasuke. Getting him back to Konoha- to Sakura- and more importantly, to him. His shock when Sasuke wouldn't even acknowledge him as a friend nearly killed him. There wasn't enough time to mend Naruto back together. And he had tried to squish the feeling down. Get over him. Get over his best friend. The one he went to the end of the world to retrieve. The one he had fallen for.

Yeah, right. That would happen.

So he tried to ignore Sasuke, and his accidental touches. And slowly, he became reclusive. And it took a lot to get the word on where Sasuke was going in order to avoid him. If Sasuke was going to the store, he would go to the park. If Sasuke was going to the park, he would go to the movies. If Sasuke was going to his favourite ramen stand, well... too bad. He sucked it up and ordered to go. But those five minutes he had to spend with Sasuke were agonizing. The awkward silence. To Naruto at least. A few looks at Sasuke and he could see that nothing was wrong with him. Sasuke would just eat his ramen, and then... just that. No words, not even a glance. And that, that made bile rise in Naruto's mouth and tears prick his eyes and he would almost lose his appetite.

Naruto even considered not going to the ramen stand.

* * *

"Naruto," Sakura said one day in the training grounds. A small breeze rustled her bangs making her readjust her head band. "Naruto, we need to talk." She sat down next to Naruto, cross legged like him. She waited for a reply. Over the years Sakura had matured. Sure, she didn't have a curvaceous body as she would have like, but she wasn't a plank either. She had let her hair grow out a little more, just enough to tie into a pony tail more easily, so it softly fell onto her shoulders and still wore dark pink colored clothes and her clan symbol on it.

"'K," was all she heard.

"No! Snap out of it! Ever since you brought Sasuke back you haven't been yourself!"

"Really? I would have never guessed," he told her, sarcasm lacing his voice slightly. He hated being mean to Sakura, but he wasn't really in the chatting mood.

"We've noticed Naruto," she said in a softer voice. This was a sore subject, even to her. And she was already over Sasuke. To Naruto it must have been... "You're pretty normal around the rest of us. But whenever Sasuke is involved you just... die."

"Sorry."

"No, don't apologize. Sasuke-!" Sakura bit her tongue. She couldn't tell Naruto. It wasn't her business. As much as it tore her to see her best friend broken, she had promised. And she wouldn't say anything until he was brave enough.

"I know Sakura," Naruto started. "He hates me for bringing him back. But he already killed Itachi, and I thought... I thought... I thought..." Naruto's voice was cracking from trying not to cry.

And for the first time in a long time, Sakura hugged Naruto, like a mother a son. Or a sister a little brother. And Naruto cried into her shoulder, thinking about how a couple years ago he would have killed for this. But now, he would kill for someone else to hug him. Sakura, caught in the moment, let out a couple tears. Not over Sasuke this time, but what Sasuke was doing to Naruto. If only she could tell.

She could feel Naruto heaving as he let out all his sadness. Everything he had been keeping in was let out after a forever of being bottled up. And despite himself, he wished it was Sasuke's arms wrapped around, helping him back up. He cried even more because it wasn't.

"I-It's ok. C'mon, let's stop being a bunch of sissies," Sakura stuttered out, a few minutes later. "Let's go before we cause a river."

Naruto smiled meekly at her attempt at humour. He had wet marks on his shirt where the tears had landed, and he was positive the back of Sakura's shirt was stained, but he knew they would dry up quickly in the heat; he really hope another breeze would grace him. "Yeah." Naruto sighed, "I need to get over him-"

"No!" Sakura protested fiercely. "I mean, you guys can still be friends, and he doesn't hate you. Let him warm up, 'k?"

"Right," Naruto nodded. Friends. His heart clenched painfully, but even if it was just that, he wanted Sasuke in his life. "Ramen?" he asked wanting to change the train of thought in his head.

"My treat," Sakura offered, noticing at what Naruto was hinting at.

"Well, if you insist-!"

"Baka!" Sakura said punching him lightly in the arm.

"...ow."

"Oops, I thought I was in control of my strength," Sakura apologized. "I _will_ treat you to ramen."

"Really!"

"Well, it depends. How hungry are you?"

"Starving!" Naruto told her earnestly.

"Ok, then maybe one bowl."

"What?"

"I don't wanna go bankrupt!" Sakura defended as they both go up. Then Sakura noticed something. "Aw, Naruto!"

"What, Sakura?" Naruto asked.

"You're a shorty again!" she giggled at him.

"WHAT!"

"Look! I'm a whole inch taller than you~!"

"...Sakura is a meanie."

And they kept talking lightly like that all the way to the ramen stand, goofing around like old times. And Naruto laughed and smiled, actually laughed loudly and gave a real smile at something Sakura said, for the first time in ages. Sakura almost started crying again at the sound of his beautiful laughter that she hadn't heard in such a long time. She didn't, though, because his laughter was contagious, just like his smile, and so they started breaking out into laughing fits until they couldn't breathe and had tears streaming down their eyes and when they went into the ramen shop they were panting and wiping the trail of tears from their cheeks.

"Gosh, Naruto," Sakura teased, sitting on the right side of the booth, leaving Naruto in the middle. "I could swear you where bi-polar."

"Ne ne, I could say the same thing about you... 'Cept, I don't know what bi-polar is," Naruto told her lightly while jumping into his seat. He didn't notice anyone sitting on his other side until he bumped into someone.

"Oh, sorry-" he started, turning around.

It was Sasuke.

"Hn," was all he said as he ordered. Naruto turned around and faced Sakura, trying to ignore wanting to say something to Sasuke. To say "I miss you." or "Why don't you talk to me?" or "Do you hate me?" or worst of all "I love you." He also fought back sadness, this was the first word that they had shared in weeks... After Naruto ordered his meal Sakura looked at the clock on the wall to her left.

"Oh, Naruto, I have to go!" Sakura said, getting up.

"What, but you just got here!" Translation: "Please don't leave me alone with him."

"Sorry, I need to take a shift at the hospital. Here's some money for that bowl I promised you," she said flinging some money onto the counter. Translation: "I'm sorry."

As Sakura left the small building, Naruto had the urge to move to the other seat, but that would be to obvious. _If only I could say something with out it hurting,_ he thought sadly to himself. He should have gotten his ramen to go, but it was too late now. He felt a breeze again and realized how hot it really was, and he was glad that he was wearing short sleeves.

But then Sasuke's hand brushed softly past his arm as the dark haired boy reached for a pair of chopsticks, his steaming bowl of ramen already in front of him. And after such a long time of not having any contact with Sasuke, he couldn't help it. "Ah," he gasped as he flinched away from the electricity Sasuke's hand seemed cause.

Sasuke's hand froze halfway to the chopstick container.

That was the first reaction he had gotten out of the blonde since he came back to Konoha. _Finally,_ he thought to himself. A reaction! Sasuke got his chopsticks, the familiar warm feeling in his fingers were his digits had brushed against Naruto's bare arm was leaving him, making him feel cold, despite the heat.

Naruto watched from the corner of his eye as Sasuke started eating his ramen, only to be brought out of the spying by his own bowl. Sadness overwhelmed him as he noticed that Sasuke was completely unaffected. Naruto's arm felt oddly cold despite the high temperature. he leaned forward toward his ramen. It smelled really good and he reached for his chopsticks, an inconsequential snap in the background.

Sasuke had snapped his chopsticks in half when Naruto's bowl was placed in front of him, causing the blonde to stop acknowledging. Stupid food.

Sasuke reached for a new pair, the same time Naruto did, their fingers meeting on the same pair. They both froze their hands exactly where they were, feeling the current of _something_ that flowed through their connected finger tips. Sasuke's eyes widened slightly at the new feeling. So pleasant.

Naruto on the other hand was internally kicking himself because he just _knew_ that Sasuke would just carry on like nothing had happened. He knew that would happen, and the pain that it would bring after their little scene would be unbearable. He felt his heartbeat speed up, static going up and down his hand, he wouldn't let go of Sasuke...

No no no no no!

He would not let himself enjoy this just to be ignored afterward. Naruto dropped his hand, looking down at his ramen. He was starting to lose his appetite, the food in front of him losing it's appeal. He pushed the bowl away a little, a little disgusted that Sasuke was now more important than _ramen_.

Sasuke was surprised. Naruto had just dropped his hand after a few moments of looking at their connected finger tips. And, it was the way that Naruto had put his hand down that really made him mad. He plopped down on the little counter. Just let drop like it was dead. And that wonderful feeling of... of... _electricity_, was taken away with Naruto's hand. And for some reason, he couldn't get over that he wasn't touching Naruto anymore. There was a reaction. Just one that Sasuke didn't want. He pulled his hand back to his side of the counter and stared at it. He couldn't help feeling lonely as he stretched his fingers. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Naruto staring.

Why was Sasuke looking at his hand like that, Naruto wondered. Was he really that disgusted that he had touched Naruto's hand? Did Sasuke really hate Naruto that much?

Great, Sasuke thought, now he probably looked like some creepy stalker, the way he was looking at his hands after touching Naruto. But it wasn't his fault. Naruto's hand were so soft and silky and they were so warm and felt so nice. And that was just from his finger tips. Sasuke lowered his eyes to meet Naruto's pure azure eyes. Naruto's orbs darted away again to his ignored ramen.

"S-sorry," Naruto mumbled weakly. He hated being this pathetic, especially showing weakness to Sasuke of all people. But the pain of being rejected hurt so much. He stared at the hand that had touched Sasuke's. He must have been getting pretty desperate to miss that touch.

"Naruto look at me," Sasuke ordered, causing Naruto to flinch. The first time in a little over a year that Sasuke had spoken to him, let alone say his name, and he was being commanded.

"Why?" Naruto asked, looking defiantly at his ramen. He fought the urge to add the word "teme" at the end.

Sasuke bit his tongue. How could he tell Naruto what he felt like? It was pretty obvious that Naruto hated his guts. All the aversion. No more talking or sparring or anything. Not even those smiles of Naruto. He hadn't seen him smile in such a long time. Well, he did today, but he was smiling at Sakura. He couldn't help but feel jealous that he was even _laughing_ with her. And he also couldn't help a suffocating pressure in his chest when Naruto's smile and laughter stopped when the blonde looked at him. The hate was obvious, so how could he tell Naruto that he loved him? How could he do that when rejection from Naruto was... was..._unimaginable_.

Duh, he couldn't. But he knew he had because Sasuke was well aware of all those wandering eyes that Naruto was getting. Pretty clear that Naruto was being sized up. The blonde had become attractive in a sort of cute way through the years. And there was no question that his personality was beautiful. Which meant that Naruto was the perfect partner. But Sasuke would be screwed before he let anyone touch his blonde..dobe.

It hurt to even think of those stupid names that had turned into pet names. He hadn't called Naruto that in a long while. And he hadn't been called a "teme" either.

"Naruto, look at me," he said and surprised himself by the softer, more gentle tone he was using.

Naruto's heart flutter as Sasuke said his name in an almost sweet type of voice. He couldn't help but look up to meet Sasuke's eyes with his own. "What, Sasuke?" he asked while looking into Sasuke's obsidian eyes.

"We need to talk," Sasuke stated as he got up, putting money on the counter; he felt the rush of blood through his veins when Naruto pronounced his name. When would that stop?

Naruto's heart was almost leaping out of his chest. Sasuke was still talking to him, and he wasn't saying that he hated him. Sure Naruto would follow Sasuke. He would follow the raven anywhere because he was too scared to lose Sasuke again.

"O-ok," Naruto stuttered, taking one last look at his untouched ramen, putting some of his own money on the counter as well. He would give Sakura her money back later.

Sasuke took the lead, Naruto trailing behind slightly, looking at the ground. He hadn't realized how late it was, the dark was heavy around them. He looked up at Sasuke and for the first time noticed how tall Sasuke had gotten. Well over six feet probably. This made him grow a bit frustrated, he was still five feet five inches tall. Sure at first he had grown taller than Sasuke, but then it seemed that his growth spurt had mysteriously disappeared. And he had to admit that Sasuke was good looking in a manly way. They trudged silently on until they were in the training grounds.

Naruto vaguely wondered if Sasuke wanted to spar. They were both pretty evenly matched so a battle now would just injure both of them and Naruto didn't want to go to the clinic at such a late hour. He was tired.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" Naruto asked, leaning against a tree. The breeze was gone and he could feel sweat on his forehead, but he just felt... _cold_.

"Why don't you smile anymore?" Sasuke asked Naruto bluntly.

"...what?" Was Naruto hallucinating? Why would Sasuke want to know why he he smiled, or lack-there-of? Did Sasuke... care? No, that couldn't be it... Could it...? A small flare of hope started stirring in Naruto's chest despite him wanting to ignore the feeling. It would hurt so much when it turned out Sasuke was _just_asking.

"You heard me."

"Why would you want to know?" There was a bitter edge to Naruto's words.

Courage, Sasuke. Tell him!

"Because..." Sasuke really was having trouble talking, not having used his vocal chords in such a long time. "I... miss your smile, stupid." Admitting feelings takes a lot out of a guy.

Naruto swore his heart stopped beating for a second, only to start again more painfully. If this was a dream... If this was a gen jutsu he was going to kill someone. "R-really?"

Courage, courage, courage, SAY IT! "...Yeah..."

"Because I miss you," Naruto blurted out softly, barely coherent. If sasuke missed his smile, he could say he missed Sasuke, right? He looked down and peeked at Sasuke through his gold eyelashes.

Sasuke, who had his eyes closed, shot them open. And it was Sasuke's turn to ask the questions. "Do you mean it?" He stalked forward to where Naruto was, looking down at him, eyes piercing. But there was a... soft edge to them.

"It depends..."

"On what?" Sasuke was getting tired of this game. But hearing Naruto speak to him... It felt good to talk to the dobe. He missed him so much, and the whole that used to be in his heart was gone.

"...If you hate me or not," Naruto said through clenched teeth. here he was, putting it all out there, just to be rejected by Sasuke. The teme would probably say something like 'hn.'

Sasuke was... shocked was too light of a word. Naruto thought he hated him? What the crap?

"You think I hate you?" Sasuke couldn't help but be mad. His best friend... the person he loved... thought that?

"Well..." Naruto squirmed a bit under Sasuke's intense gaze. Hear it came. The big "Yes, I hate you, get over it" moment. He closed his eyes tighter. "It seems that way..."

Sasuke dead panned. What the heck was wrong with him? He placed both of his hands on either side of Naruto's face, sparks of heat shooting up and down his arms. He felt like his knees would buckle. Finally,_finally_! After such a long time of wanting to touch Naruto this, of wanting to _show_ Naruto how he felt.

The moment Naruto felt hands on his cheeks he opened his eyes.

And then he felt it. He let his eyes flutter close as Sasuke's soft lips pressed against his full ones lightly. It was just the slightest pressure, like a puff of breath. Like a small wind brushing against his lips. And it was so sweet, sincere, and full of...? Yet at the same time he could feel sparks fly through his whole body, starting at his lips. They felt like they were on fire, but it was one of the most pleasant things he had ever felt. How many times had he dreamed of this happening? How many times had he wished? How many times had he woke up from a dream were he and Sasuke were just about to kiss? Now it was happening, in the training grounds, at night, under a bright moon.

Then, as quickly as it had started, it was over. They both separated, and Naruto closed his mind on all thoughts and questions. Or tried to. One just wouldn't die. Did this mean that Sasuke liked him? Friends didn't do that, so were they more than friends. Maybe?

Hope.

Sasuke looked down at Naruto who seemed to be content with just resting his head against Sasuke's hands. And although the position was slightly uncomfortable, he just couldn't let Naruto go. After all the time of wanting to touch Naruto, he wouldn't let him go for the world.

Naruto caught up in the moment uttered three words with out completely thinking them through. "I love you," he whispered in to Sasuke's hands.

Naruto... _loved him?_Him. Uchiha Sasuke. Sasuke turned unresponsive.

Naruto, meanwhile, was starting to panic. Crap, had he REALLY said that? And Sasuke, Sasuke wasn't moving! He wasn't doing anything! Crapcrapcrapcrap! Why wasn't Sasuke doing anything? Why? The kiss? What had that meant then? Why wasn't Sasuke doing anything? CRAP!

"S-Sasuke," Naruto stuttered out. Time for some damage control. "I, er, sorry for w-what I s-said. I-it's that I-I just thought that... that you- that I- b-because of the- the k-kiss a-and I-I'm s-sorry because... because... Please don't hate me Sasuke..." The pain of rejection was starting up again. And it... hurt. Like salt on wounds.

Agony.

Sasuke was brought back to reality when Naruto starting sobbing. Tenderly, Sasuke wiped away the crystal tears from Naruto's cheeks.

"S-Sasuke?" Naruto whimpered when he felt the rush of heat that Sasuke's trailing fingers left.

Sasuke leaned in closer and whispered in to Naruto's ear. "...Dobe," he purred. Naruto felt his heart rush at the familiar word. Sasuke remembered such a stupid little thing after all these years? Did that mean that maybe he hadn't lost Sasuke as a friend?

"Why are you apologizing?" Sasuke uttered.

Naruto looked straight ahead at Sasuke's chest. "B-because I b-brought you b-back t-to Konoha a-against y-your will a-and because I-I l-l-love you a-and y-you d-don't and... and..."

"You really are stupid, Naruto," Sasuke said, liking the way Naruto's name felt when he said it. He had to tell Naruto what he felt before the blonde got the wrong idea. Now all he needed was courage. "Naruto... I, well I..." This was hard. Pffft, courage. "Naruto I... love you, too," he whispered at the crying boy. Pffft, finally.

"R-really?" Naruto asked, looking up with embarrassed tears sliding down his cheeks.

Holy...crap... He had always wanted to hear those sweet words being said to him. And to have Sasuke say them...

"Hn. I should have told you earlier and avoided all of this crap," Sasuke murmured. If it wasn't for his stupid Uchiha pride, he would have told Naruto as soon as he got back from Orochimaru.

"Wait," Naruto said, his eyes hardening slightly. "Since when have you known that you... loved me?"

"Hn. A couple of years," Sasuke drawled out. He sort of wanted to get back to the kissing part.

"So, you're telling me you knew that you loved, and you've known for a long time, but you just didn't tell?" There was a scary innocent tone to Naruto's voice. This itself should have been a warning to Sasuke. But the Uchiha was too distrated by the relief of finally telling the dobe to notice the danger.

"Yes."

"YOU TEME!" Naruto yelled, throwing a punch that sent Sasuke flying back. Normally, Sasuke would have dodged it or blocked or something, but as mentioned before, he was paying attention to the evident danger.

"What heck dobe! What was that about!" Sasuke yelled, clutching his abused stomach.

"YOU IDIOT! WHAT THE HELL? WE COULD HAVE AVOIDED ALL OF THIS IF YOU JUST MANNED UP! YOU'RE SO STUPID! YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE? YOU'RE A-!" Naruto was ranting now, using words that I will not write. Sasuke was still clutching his stomach, looking at Naruto who was red with fury.

"-YOU KNOW WHAT?" Naruto was now on the consequences of Sasuke's silence. "I SHOULDN'T EVEN TALK TO YOU FOR A WEEK!"

"Dobe," Sasuke intervened. "You really think that me not telling you how I feel deserves the cold shoulder?"

"..."

"Hn. That's what I thought," Sasuke said calmly, sitting up, a smirk gracing his features. His stomach was still a little tender, but it wasn't so bad.

"Yeah," Naruto murmured in agreement, an idea forming in his head. "You're definitely right," he nodded in agreement. The same sweet, innocent tone came back to Naruto's voice. "You know what that deserves?" Naruto asked a bit seductively, swaying his hips as waltzed closer to Sasuke. It wasn't hard, really. He had gotten a sort of curvy look from his mother.

The raven flushed slightly at Naruto's seductive techniques. "W-what does it deserve?" Sasuke asked huskily. Well he stuttered, but give him a break, he hasn't had anything sexual or even sexually related in... well... a _very_ long time. And he had hormones. Naruto had finally reached Sasuke. He placed his small tan hand on Sasuke's toned chest as he knelt down next to him. Electricity sparked.

Naruto looked into Sasuke's dark eyes with his big blue ones. Then, blushing, he whispered into Sasuke's ear. "Do... do you really want to know?"

"Yes," Sasuke said severely, his voice heavy, leaning into Naruto's small body. He lifted his pale hand to touch Naruto's cheek.

"**IT DESERVES A FRIGGEN' CASTRATION!**" Naruto roared into Sasuke' poor ear as he tried to strangle the raven.

* * *

**PFFT! XD should I leave it like this? O.e Anyway, review and I might make a epilogue. Oh, what's this? It's the Blackmail Turtle! ... review... please? CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is appreciated. I will update Bunny Sena once I get the stupid plot bunnies out of my head. There's like three more plot bunnies. I swear. (all yaoi/shounen-ai XD)**


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